We are a Title I school with a diverse population of students coming from all five boroughs of New York City.
The children in our classrooms are a mix of deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing children (most with deaf parents).
Although I am neither deaf nor hard-of-hearing, I am fluent in American Sign Language (ASL). Classroom instruction occurs in both ASL and spoken/written English, with two classroom teachers. We are a dual-language school dedicated to bridging the deaf and hearing communities.
My Project
As a life-long patron of the arts, I value the contribution of arts-based education to the social and emotional development of young children. Combining the arts with children's literature is a journey I have been traveling my whole life—from performer to teacher. I have found a beautiful way to combine my interests.
This project was created to purchase 25 copies of THe Missing Piece by Shel Silverstein for my Broadway Books First Class program, which invites Broadway performers into the classroom to read children's books and share stories about life in the theater.
This book will be read by Broadway actress Julee Cerda (Children of a Lesser God). The story follows the main character as it searches for its missing piece in a story that is simply and touchingly told. This fable gently probes the nature of quest and fulfillment.
The children's books read by the performers are a bridge between home and school. I have witnessed an increase in motivation to read when children bring home an autographed copy of the book to enjoy again and again. Thank you to all of you for supporting this project. More information about the program can be found at broadwaybooksfirstclass.
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Dr. Wellbrock and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
